A Flash of Green
by ihavenoideai'llthinkofonelater
Summary: James Norrington post his AWE death. James sees Elizabeth one last time. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1: So Be It

_Hello everyone!_

_This is my first FanFiction posted here, so please be gentle._

_I know, this is a short chapter. But the story will be nice! See if you can tell where it's going. This is somewhat during AWE.  
_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or its characters, or anything else related to it. I merely want to share my imaginings with other James Norrington fans._**

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Chapter One

"Our destinies have been entwined, Elizabeth," James said. "But never joined."

He went forward and kissed her, begging the Lord to let time stop for just this instance, yet knowing in the empty mass that was his heart that it wasn't about to.

He ended the kiss. "Go, now," he said, his voice wavering as he urged himself not to break down in tears, and turned away as he did so.

Elizabeth hesitated. _Was Will the right one for me?_ She thought. _Was I really right in turning down James?_

She quickly put aside those thoughts. _Yes...yes, of course I was. I was right then and I am right now. I love Will...Yes, I love Will._

She wasn't entirely sure, though.

She turned around and climbed off the ship onto the rope connecting the Flying Dutchman to the Empress.

The moments passing after the kiss seemed to speed past James. Before he knew it he was on the ground, stuck like a pig through his abdomen.

"James Norrington, do you fear death?" Davy Jones hissed at him.

James grip tightened around the sword he was still holding, and plunged it into the area of Davy Jones's chest where his heart ought to be—a futile action, but an action nonetheless.

"I'll take that as a no," was all Davey Jones said.

The sight of Davey Jones began to blur. James succumbed to death's call and his body went limp. Darkness engulfed him and silence filled his ears.

-----

James seemed to be floating. To where, he didn't know.

James didn't feel the pain of being stabbed, but he wasn't at peace. Not yet.

Suddenly, a light as bright as the sun surrounded him. He shielded his eyes.

"Welcome James," said a great male voice coming from all around. "I am God."

James, his eyes becoming more accustomed to the bright light, looked at his surroundings. Nothing was there.

"Where am I?" James asked. "Am I in Heaven?"

"No," God said. "But you're about to enter it. You just need to do one more thing for me."

"What, God, do you ask of me?" James asked.

"Answer my questions as best as you can," God said.

"Yes," James replied.

"All the things you did in your life, did you do it for the glory of the Lord?"

"I did my best. But I am afraid I performed selfish acts instead of ones that glorified You."

"Like what?" God asked.

Ashamed, James looked at what he thought was down. "I helped the enemy follow through with his plan," he said. "I helped wipe out populations of good men and women who I saw as pirates, just to say that I was a good man."

"Are you repentant of this and all other sins you have committed?" the Lord asked.

"Yes," James said.

"Good," God said. "You are forgiven."

James felt as if all the burdens he had been carrying had been lifted off of his back. "Do you have any more questions for me?" James asked.

"Yes," God said. "Was there any time that you never lived your life to the fullest?"

James hesitated. "I've never lived my life to the fullest up until I kissed Elizabeth," he admitted. "I love her so much. I wish I had acted differently. Things may have been different if I had not repressed the feelings I had inside for her." Tears welled up in his eyes. He did not try to stop them as they rolled down his face. He didn't care anymore.

"Would you like to see her one last time?" God asked.

"Greatly," James said.

"So be it," God said.

James was not so sure what God had meant by that.

Light blinded James's eyes once more.

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_Thanks for reading. Please review! I love hearing what other people think of my work. Another chapter will be coming up.  
_


	2. Chapter 2: 'Twas a Moment

_Yes, 'tis the long awaited second chapter of my first fanfic here. I hope it is to your liking. Yes, it's quite short, but the story is more important anyways. "Brevity is the source of all wit." I'll worry about length in my next stories. :)  
_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or anything concerned with it. No matter how much I would like to own James Norrington, alas, it cannot be done._**

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Chapter Two

Water.

Water was all James could see when the white light finally faded; water for miles and miles, and...

Grass. James was standing on grass.

James slowly moved forward towards the water, to where he once felt at home. He nearly fell off the cliff he apparently was on. Once he regained his composure, he looked down the cliff: he was on an island. He had never been there before—he knew that for sure—and yet it seemed to be familiar to him, like he was supposed to be there... like it was destiny.

When he turned around, there was more grass; grass as far as the eye could see. Among the grasses was a small house. It was a white house with a thatched roof, a wooden door, and windows carved in its walls.

_Home of some knave, no doubt,_ James thought. But for some reason he could not tear his eyes away from the house.

Though unaware of it, he stepped forward toward the house. As he got closer, he could hear bits of conversation between a woman and a child.

"Quit bothering me while I'm cooking your food, child," a woman's voice said. The voice was familiar. Young and friendly, yet it seemed to hold more maturity than expected. "And clean up your room!"

"But I don't want to!" a boy's voice called out, a boy about the age of ten.

"Now don't start with me!" It was the woman's voice again, even more familiar than before. There seemed to be mischievousness to it. "Don't you think your father would appreciate it if, when he returned, your room was conforming to the rest of the house? In other words, clean?"

The boy sighed in defeat. "Alright, mum," he said. "You win."

"Good," said mum. "Now get started."

"But mum!"

She chuckled at the child's hard-headedness. "Go!" she said playfully.

By what James heard next he knew the mother had won. The child dragged his feet toward his room and slammed the door.

The woman chuckled again, and James couldn't help smiling as well. He pondered on where he seemed to have heard that voice before. He couldn't place it, but it he knew he had heard it before.

Unaware, he brought his hand up in a fist and gently knocked on the door.

The mood of the house changed. The woman's friendly disposition disappeared and an anxiety filled in its place. "Who is it?" she asked.

"It's me," James said. That was all he thought of saying and all he needed to say.

'Twas a moment before the woman opened the door, a moment before she saw his face, and a moment before her life was entwined with that of this man at her door.

"Oh my goodness... "

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_I hope this has left you hanging enough to want to read some more. Reviews are always welcome, especially the nice ones :)._


	3. Chapter 3: Not Her Cup of Tea

_Chapter Three of my story. WOOT! Please enjoy!_

**_Disclaimer: Basically the only thing I own in this story is most of the storyline...that, unfortunately, does not include James. IT WAS STUPID TO KILL HIM OFF!_**

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Chapter Three

Never in all her married life did Elizabeth Swann think she would see James again. But it seemed he was really there standing at her doorway, moving, breathing, living. Living? Hadn't James been killed by Bootstrap Bill that night on the Dutchman? Yes he had. And yet he was here.

"James, is that really you?"

They were still standing at the doorway, she looking into his eyes and he looking into hers.

"Yes, it's me," he said.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, but she didn't care so much. All she knew was she was happy to see him. She had missed him terribly and, though she would never admit it, she dreamt about him. She didn't wish for it to happen, but she just did.

He did not answer her question. He just looked around. Her home was quite neat and cozy.

"May I come in?" he asked.

"Yes..." she said. "Yes, of course."

She opened the door wider and let him in. When he got inside, he noticed there was something - Or someone – missing. "Where is Mr Tur--" He stopped himself. "Where is Will?"

She shut the door behind him harder than she would have liked. She never liked the thought of talking about Will in front of James, for she knew it would hurt James greatly. She avoided the topic as much as she could, but it seemed she could not get herself out of this one.

"Come," she said. "Come and sit."

She led him to the kitchen and motioned towards one of the chairs surrounding a table in the middle of the room.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked.

"Yes, please," he said as he sat down.

She approached the tea kettle hanging over a fire. She poured two cups of tea, one for herself and one for James.

As she was carrying the cups to the table, James stood up and took his cup from her.

"Here, let me help," he said.

_Typical James,_ she thought. _Always the gentleman._ This thought brought a smile on her face. Come to think of it, he had always been a gentleman to her, excluding his short stint with piracy, always putting her in first priority. He always cared for her and loved her. But she didn't return that love.

When he held her hand as he took his cup tears welled up inside her and she started to cry.

"Oh James!" she said. "Oh James, I'm so sorry!"

James quickly took the cups from her and placed them on the table. He took her in his arms and held her close, knowing these moments with her would be his last.

Her crying didn't last long, for she remembered her son.

"No," she said, and pulled herself out of his grip. "I can't be seen like this. My son..."

James' heart was tired. It was tired of being pulled out of his chest and being ripped into a million tiny pieces by this girl. No, not by a girl, but by a woman. And yet, he still placed himself in vulnerable positions for her sake, and he didn't take it against her.

"Can we go out for a walk?" he asked.

Elizabeth hesitated.

She'd never admit it, but she would think about James, sometimes even waking up in the middle of the night thinking she'd heard his voice. Now that he was here, in front of her, she didn't want to believe, in case it might just be some cruel trick her mind was playing on her.

In any case, she left the house and walked with James.

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_Please R&R! Words of encouragement and appreciation are greatly...appreciated :)._


	4. Chapter 4: Understanding

_[Insert drumroll here] Yes, readers! I have [finally] updated this story :) I hope the wait was worth it. Enjoy!_

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline... If I owned James... *sighs* [forgets to finish sentence]._**

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Chapter Four

James and Elizabeth walked alongside one another on the beach. No one spoke for what seemed like an eternity, for fear of saying something that would inconvenience the other.

"So where is Will?" James finally asked, breaking the tense silence that had been dominating. "I'd think he'd like to be with you."

Elizabeth hesitated. "He's..." How could she explain it? "My husband is now the captain of the Flying Dutchman. I can see him but once every ten years for a day," she said. It hardly seemed like a reasonable explanation. But it was the only one she could provide.

Elizabeth took a few steps before realizing James was no longer walking alongside her. She turned around to see James with downcast eyes.

"Oh no," she said. She had forgotten to tell James she had married Will, and James, though hearing young William's voice, held the slightest bit of hope that he was not Elizabeth's child, a hope that was that of a fool.

She walked back to James and took his hand. She placed it in her hands. "James..."

James looked up at her and smiled a sad smile. "I do not blame you for choosing Will. Looking back, I see that he took the better course in pursuing you. He made his love for you clear..." He sighed, his smile faded, and he looked to the ground once more. "...not like me."

Elizabeth's heart ached. She hated seeing James like this. She didn't want to cause him any more pain, not with what she had already done to him.

"I really am sorry for what I did to you the night you died," she said, her head bent. "I hope you can forgive me."

James looked up. "I could never stay angry with you, Elizabeth," he said.

Elizabeth looked at him and smiled.

They stood there in a peaceful silence.

The sun was starting to set, colouring the sky wonderful shades of orange, red, and pink.

Elizabeth looked back to her home. She frowned. "We should be getting back," Elizabeth said. "Before William breaks anything."

As she started toward her house, James couldn't help smiling.

_She hasn't changed a bit._

-----

James joined Elizabeth and William for supper, where he was able to talk to young William. He discovered Will was returning the very next day. His heart sank.

He looked at Elizabeth and young William, a sad smile appearing on his face. He saw they were happy. He did not want to ruin that for them. He only wished it was him that had made them happy.

He intended to leave after supper and return to where it was he came from. He felt he had been with Elizabeth long enough and felt his need to return. Not like he really wanted to. He just felt he was given enough.

He wiped his mouth after finishing his meal. He said a silent prayer of thanks and stood up.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he said, looking at Elizabeth with sad, loving eyes. "I would hate to inconvenience you and your son any further, so I shall be leaving you now."

He gave Elizabeth and William a curt nod and headed for the door, not sure of which direction he was heading.

As he was pondering on this problem, Elizabeth abruptly stood up and rushed to him.

"Wait," she said. "You don't have to go."

He turned around and looked at her. Her face flushed slightly, realizing what she just said. She looked down to hide her reddening face. "It's no inconvenience really."

"Yes, please stay!" piped William. He had grown fond of James while he was there, and he was sure to have his say in the matter.

James looked at Elizabeth, then at William. A gentle smile spread across his face. "Fine," he said. "I'll stay."

"Yay!" William cheered. He jumped off of his chair and ran to James and gave him a massive hug.

"Wait 'til father meets you," he said to James, still hugging him. "I'm sure he'll love you."

James smile disappeared. He looked up at Elizabeth, who was watching with joy up until now. She looked at him, and a look of understanding was on her face. She knew what was to happen.

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_Well? What do you think? R&R please!_


	5. Chapter 5: Contemplation

_Chapter 5 folks! Please enjoy!_

**_Disclaimer: I own none of this, save for the storyline... Sadly I do not own James. He remains as but a fictitious character in the minds of those who created him (and then later on decided to kill him... stupid writers )._  
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Chapter Five

Elizabeth set up the guest bedroom for James. As she did so, she contemplated on her life. Did she make the right decision? Was Will the right man for her?

She stared through the open door into William's room. He was already fast asleep.

She smiled and thought of how he would not have been there if she had not married Will.

As she thought, she felt pangs of guilt.

_Stop it! You love Will! You made the right decision when you broke your proposal with James and..._

She stopped there. What if she had never broke their engagement... what would have happened? Would she have started a family with James? She certainly wouldn't have had William. She saddened at this thought. _What's important is that I have him now. That's all that matters._

What about Will? Did he matter?

She was interrupted in her thoughts when she realized James was at the doorway.

"I'm sorry," she said with a laugh, obviously embarrassed. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I was just lost in thought."

James chuckled. "It must've been something awfully interesting to have kept you quiet all this time."

Elizabeth spun around, eyes narrowing at James. A smile played her lips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

James flushed. "N-nothing..." he said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said, trying to make him realize it was alright.

"It wasn't proper," he said.

Elizabeth looked at him with a hurt expression. "James, when will you realize that I don't care about propriety? I mean, of course I won't go to the extreme, but honestly, after all these years you can't... I mean, I'm your friend. If you can't relax when you're around me then when will you?"

James looked at her. She was right. He never relaxed... or could never.

"Is that one of the reasons why I remained your friend instead of becoming something more?" he asked.

Elizabeth couldn't answer him. "There, I've fixed you room. You can stay here until you decide to leave." With that she left the room, leaving James alone.

_Yes,_ she thought. _Will matters._

-----

It was late in the night, but try as he might, James could not get to sleep. He was too busy contemplating on his life. Should I have been more open with my affection? Would I have lost Elizabeth if I had not been so afraid?

That was what he was. He was afraid. He was afraid then that if he had shown any affection he would be seen as weak. He was afraid that if he made a mistake he would be deemed unworthy. He was afraid that if he was not right in the eyes of society he would have been cast out. He was afraid that if he showed anyone any of his insecurities he would be destroying his image of justice, bravery, and strength. He did not want to show the world that he was human. He never wanted to show anyone his weaknesses because he did not want to be hurt. The one time he did, his heart was torn from his chest.

But this shield that he had created for himself to protect his inner feelings was what had destroyed him. Had he told Elizabeth everyday how much he loved her he might have not ended up skewered by Bootstrap. Had he been less concerned about propriety he might have actually enjoyed his time with Elizabeth instead of always being embarrassed. Had he been more relaxed he might have still been with Elizabeth...

She was right.

James lay in his bed, still and quiet. Silently he cried himself to sleep.

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End of chapter! Reviews are appreciated :)


	6. Chapter 6: A Flash of Green

_'Ello poppets XD Here's the last chapter of my first fanfiction. Please enjoy!_

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing here but the story which came from my imagination. James does not belong to me (no matter how much I want him to be XD)  
_**

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Chapter Six

The next day was an awkward day to say the least. Elizabeth and James did not speak to each other. This worried William.

As James stood in front of the house gazing at the sea, William went and stood beside him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

James looked at him with a confused look on his face. "What do you mean?"

"It's just that yesterday you and mum were getting along great. Now you won't talk to each other."

James looked at William. He was a wise boy. Just like his mother.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," James said. He smiled a gentle smile to try and convince William he was telling the truth. His eyes told otherwise.

William did not entirely believe James, but did not push the matter any further.

"Have you ever met my father?" William asked.

"Yes I have. I saved him when he was a boy a few years older than you."

William's eyes grew wide, as did his smile. "What was he like?"

He smiled. "He was a good swordsman, he was an honest man, and he loved your mother very much."

"Were you and my father friends?"

James smile faded. "I'd be lying to you if I said we were," he said. "We were never really on the best of terms."

William seemed a bit disappointed at this. But it quickly turned into a look of hope. "No matter," he said. "You and father will have loads of time to become friends once he gets here."

James looked away from him and looked at the sea once more.

-----

It was getting closer to the sunset, and Elizabeth was getting closer to the end of her rope.

Elizabeth thought she would have a hard time keeping William awake. What ended up happening was he had not only managed to stay awake, he wouldn't keep still long enough for Elizabeth to get him ready.

"Oh, will you stop moving!" Elizabeth said, her patience wearing thin. "Your father will be here soon, and I'd want you to be presentable."

"What was father like?" he asked excitedly, obviously unaffected by the urgency of the situation. "Was he brave? Do I look like my father? Do you think he misses me? When will he get here?"

"Soon!" she said in answer to his last question. "Now stop fidgeting!"

_Odero, si potero: si non, invitus amabo. [If I could I would hate: if I cannot I must love against my will.]_

She turned to the door where she thought she heard something. No one was there.

-----

James watched this scene unfold through the crack of the door. He would miss dear William, almost as much as he would miss Elizabeth.

"Odero, si potero: si non, invitus amabo," he whispered. He turned and went for the door.

-----

Finally Elizabeth and William were ready. Elizabeth let William go on ahead to where they would see Will. Elizabeth knocked gently on James' door.

"James," she called. "We're ready. Will you be coming with us?"

There was no answer.

The door was slightly ajar so she opened it and entered. The room was empty. The bed was fixed. The only thing that was odd was a letter. It was neatly placed on top of the secretary that was in the room.

Elizabeth walked over to the secretary, opened the letter and read it:

_Dear Elizabeth,_

_I apologize for not bidding you the most proper farewell, but I believe it is the most appropriate. During the time I have been here at your home, I could not help but see how happy you were. I do not want to ruin that for you by staying. It would be wrong. I can only wish that it had been me to make you this happy. Will is a good man. He loves you dearly and I can see you love him as well. I envy him for he has the only thing I really wanted in the world._

_Take care of William. He's a good boy. I'll miss him._

_Odero, si potero: si non, invitus amabo._

_Always and forever yours,_

_James_

Tears filled her eyes.

_What have I done?_

She dropped the letter and ran out.

-----

James had reached the shore of the island. The water lapped around his feet.

He stared up at the sky, his eyes filled with tears. "Thank You," he breathed. He started walking along the shore, waiting.

-----

Elizabeth ran.

She ran as fast as her legs would take her, her lungs burning for air. The wind whipped across her face as she ran to where James was.

_Please, don't let me be too late._

As she saw James, the sun was just about to set. She ran along the shore, trying to catch up to him.

"James!" she screamed.

He turned around just as the sun disappeared from the sky. There was a flash of green and James was no longer there.

Elizabeth stopped. "No," she said, so softly she wasn't even sure she said it. James was now gone, completely out of her life. She closed her eyes, tears spilling down her face, and she saw James looking back at her with his saddened green eyes. She had always wondered why the flash was green. Maybe this was why.

Along the horizon there was a ship...

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_"If I could I would hate: if I cannot I must love against my will. [La., Odero, si potero: si non, invitus amabo]" - Ovid (43BC-17AD) [Publius Ovidius Naso] Roman Poet_

_Thanks to everyone who has read this story :) Please review! BTW, I have a new story up! It's called Loss of Virtue. Still in progress, but I think it's a good one. The only way to tell is if you R&R, so please...R&R :)  
_


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